Tuesday, July 18, 2017

There's certainly no shortage of ghost stories in New York, but it's not often a political figure steps up and makes statements about potential spirits. Current NY Governor Andrew Cuomo has done just that.

According to the Albany Times Union, Cuomo mentioned the topic back in April, noting that he's not interested in ghosts and considers himself a 'big, tough guy,' but bravado aside, he reports that he doesn't sleep much in the mansion:

"It's a creepy house. I'm a big, tough guy so I don't get afraid of ghosts, but I'm not enamored with them anyway. So I don't sleep much when I'm in that house because there are a lot of noises going on, and it gives me a chance to read up on past governors and what they've done in New York."

A later report in the New York Post offered further statements from the Governor:

"So, it's me alone, when I'm in the house because my family is in Westchester...and there are stories that this house is haunted. Now, I don't believe in ghosts, and I'm a big, tough Italian guy, but I'll tell you, it gets creepy in that house, and there are a lot of noises that go on and you are very alone."

The mansion is 161 years old and sits near the Capitol building in Albany. According to historians, the only recorded death in the mansion occurred in 1909 when the Reverend David C. Hughes, father of Governor Charles Hughes, died from a "stroke of apoplexy."

Whether or not Rev. Hughes is responsible for the paranormal activity in the mansion is up for debate. Most people don't believe that the Reverend had any unfinished business to keep him around. Still, New York State Capitol assistant curator Stuart Lehman, who leads the annual Capitol Hauntings tours every Halloween, says visitors have reported a variety of strange sounds and sights in state buildings, including the governor's mansion.

Former governor David Paterson stepped up with his own take on the haunted mansion telling the Post that ghost absolutely did exist in the grand old house.
Paterson says that while living at the mansion, his five-year-old nephew told him he could feel an invisible hand guiding him up the home's stairs. The former governor also relayed one of his personal accounts.
Late one night, he was in a second-floor bedroom when he heard a sound 'like a vase smashing.' He searched two floors of the building but could find nothing to explain the strange noise. The following day, he spoke with staff who told the governor he'd encountered the mansion's ghost.

"I told the staff, and they all got quiet and left the room. One came to me and said, Governor, nobody wanted to say this to you, but it's the ghost. One employee is afraid to clean one of the rooms because she thinks the ghost is in the room."

Staff members at the mansion believe the spirit is that of a former groundskeeper. In fact, they believe it's the groundskeeper for the mansion's original owners, that is-before the state bought the building in 1877-meaning that the noisy spirit may have been present for a very long time.

Paterson offered some words of comfort to the current governor:

"Governor Cuomo should be relieved, it's a friendly ghost, like Casper."

As for current governor Cuomo, he spends most of his time at his family home in Westchester and when he's in the Albany mansion, well, those sleepless nights are spent buried in books, trying perhaps, to ignore the eerie sounds that take over the historic building each night.

"...come with me now as we take a trek into the dark and turbulent domain of Nessie, the world's most supernatural monster."

So says Nick Redfern in the introduction of his new book, "Nessie." In some ways, it's a big promise, but as usual, Redfern delivers.

The Loch Ness Monster is one of the world's most famous cryptids. Over the years, there have been countless books published examining various theories to explain what the monster may be. That being the case, one has to wonder, what exactly a new book on the topic may have to offer. Sadly missing among the various publications of recent years, has been a close look at the supernatural elements and possibilities related to the creature. This, is what Nick has brought to the table with his latest foray.

Back in the 1960's, the late Frederick W. "Ted" Holiday, another Brit who was intrigued by the monster, wrote "The Great Orm of Loch Ness: A Practical Inquiry into the Nature and Habits of Water-Monsters" Holiday used the term "Orm," roughly meaning "worm" as a launching point to delve into a theory that the creatures in Loch Ness, and in other lochs, were actually giant worms. Almost as soon as he published the theory, Holiday was off delving into other possibilities. Possibilities that the creatures were something more akin to the paranormal world rather than flesh and blood beasts.

Redfern delves into Holiday's work, paying tribute in a sense, but in some ways, it feels like he picked up the threads still hanging from questions Holiday brought up. Redfern brings in other fascinating aspects to the Loch Ness mystery as well, covering other researchers, and the numerous odd incidents that have unfolded in recent years. This in fact, is where the strength of the book lies.

UFOs? Check.

Dragon Cults? Check.

The "Great Beast" aka Aleister Crowley? Check.

The Exorcism of Loch Ness? Check.

And there's more, much more.

While many researchers insist that, if there is indeed a creature in Loch Ness, it must be a physical animal, the vast amount of strange occurrences around the loch over the years point to even more intriguing possibilities. It's this range of alternative information relating to Nessie and her environs that Redfern ably delves into in this volume. As with any good book in the fortean field, Nick offers some speculations and stimulates the inquiring mind, leaving more mysteries for us to explore.

As someone long intrigued by the creature and the Loch itself, I've read most, maybe all, of the material published over the years. But even if you're a veteran Nessie aficionado, you'll love this book as a "refresher" course on the weirder aspects of the legend and you might find a few gems you haven't heard much about previously.

About Me

David Weatherly is a paranormal investigator and author. For 40 years he has explored the world of the strange, investigating cases around the country and abroad. He has written and lectured on a diverse range of topics including Cryptozoology, Ufology and Hauntings.
David has also studied Shamanic and magical traditions with elders from numerous cultures including Europe, Tibet, Native America, and Africa.
He has appeared on numerous radio programs including: Coast to Coast AM, Dreamland, Veritas and Darkness Radio. David was also featured in Watchers Volume 5 and on Ancient Aliens.
He is the author of "The Black Eyed Children," "Strange Intruders" and the Wood Knocks series.

Contact

Have an experience to share? I'm always interested in hearing your personal reports. Simply post in the comments section on this blog, or if it's a longer account, send it to me at: twocrowsparanormal@gmail.com. Either way, your message comes straight to me.